[NSRCA-discussion] Scale Pattern?

[Bob Richards]

Bill,
   
  Thanks for the kind words.
   
  I agree with you, I think a lot of the pattern planes are ugly. Kinda reminds me of the old Buck Rogers rocket, hanging on a string, sparkler up the tailpipe. I like planes that look like a real plane, that is why I flew a Cap21 for two years in pattern. And, FWIW, I LOVE the looks of the Focus. It looks like a stretched Cap.
   
  All this talk about a P51 in pattern. Hmmm, I've thought about a stretched P47 myself. Invasion stripes -- how appropriate!!!
   
  Speaking of IMAC, I'm going to fly at my first IMAC contest this year. Not sure yet what I will fly. I've toyed with the idea of flying in Basic, just so I can fly a pattern plane. :-)  I've got a 27% H9 Extra 260 I'm working on. No 40% models in my future.
   
  Bob R.
  

Bill Glaze <billglaze at triad.rr.com> wrote:
  I flew a CGB Sukhoi for a long time in IMAC until they decided to go to 
these outsize "models." Thanks to Bob Richards and John Ferrell I got 
interested in Pattern flying at one of Bob's Pattern Primers. I went to a 
couple of pattern events, and got turned off by the airplanes that I felt 
were "ugly." In fact, I wasn't going to go any further until I saw a Dick 
Hanson Excess, (Extra 300 semi-scale.) So, I became highly interested in 
pattern, but I felt the airplanes didn't look good, (except for Hanson's 
design) and I'm a sucker for a good looking airplane. (No smart remarks, 
please!)
I even took the Sukhoi to Muncie in 1997 to the Pattern Nats', and did 
better than I thought I would. I truly loved flying the Sukhoi, (still do) 
and had the opportunity to ask Dave Patrick how he came up with such a great 
flying design. His answer: "I just drew it up, and then I stretched it 
until it looked like a pattern model." Hmmm......... O.K.
Than, after a serious talking-to by Gary Harris and Ed Bailey, I was 
convinced that a full-blown pattern ship was required. Fortunately, Dick 
Hanson had brought out his EMC^2, and with a lot of help from John Ferrell, 
it was ready for the 1998 Nats.' Even now, I prefer flying a pattern plane 
for just "fooling around" at the local field. Why? Because they fly so 
much better, and are much easier to fly well.
If we could get somebody who is truly a prospect to fly a pattern airplane, 
(and I don't mean for 5 minutes or so) out at the local field, it would go a 
long way toward inculcating him with our sport and our sporting appetites. 
O.K., I agree:some who evidence interest do so out of politeness or mild 
curiosity. And, as it has been said, some won't be interested; the "gallon 
of fuel a year" types will tend to think we're kind of crazy, (which we 
probably are)
One thing I learned as a salesman: You've got to know who is truly a 
prospect, and who is "just looking."
Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Bill Glaze
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